Narcs arrest two officers, three others in buy-busts

By LITO RULONA
Correspondent

TWO police officers and three civilians are in hot water after they were caught in buy and bust operations here on Wednesday.

Authorities identified the arrested officers as SPO3 Albert Balabag of the Divisoria police, and PO1 Elmer Maceren of Barangay Patag who  serves at Camp Alagar’s Regional Support Group (RSG).

Senior Insp. Ireneo Ramirez of the City Anti-Illegal Drugs Task Force-City Intelligence Unit said they caught Balabag in a suspected drug den in Sitio Macanhan, Barangay Carmen during a buy-bust operation.

Ramirez said Balabag was caught offguard by policemen who barged into the house.

The police operation ended into a shootout with a civilian, identified as 32-year old Clevon Sambuyo of Villa Angela, Barangay Balulang.

Sambuyo sustained a gunshot wound in the right leg, and was brought to the JR Borja General Hospital for treatment.

PO2 Reynaldo Ubanan said he chased Sambuyo who tried to escape, and the suspect fired at him with a caliber .22 revolver, forcing him to shoot back.

“Gibirahan nako sa paa. Kaduha ko naka-paboto aron ma-paralyzed siya,” he said.

Sambuyo denied that he fired a gun, and denied owning the caliber .22 revolver.

“Na-alaan lang ko nga ako si SPO3 Balabag kay pareha mi t-shirt adto. Midagan ko kay wala man unta ko’y labot. Kalit lang ko nga gipusil sa polis,” he said.

Also arrested was Sonny Sombilon, 27, of Sitio Macanhan, Barangay Carmen.

The three suspects were charged at the City Prosecutor’s Office (CPO) for violation of RA 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drug Act of 2002.

In another police operation, Carmen police officers arrested PO1 Maceren of the Regional Support Group (RSG) at Camp Alagar during an operation.

SPO3 Roger Inguito alleged that PO1 Maceren sold three cellophanes of suspected shabu along with one Dennis Dapat.

Police seized a “marked money” of P500 from Maceren.